Terminal fitting for electric conduits.



I. C. PHELPS.

TERMINAL FITTING FOR ELECTRIC CONDUITS.

APPLICATION FILED QCLZS. |912.

Patented J une 1I 1915.

[Nvu/rok dmo 1P/agua B Y I ATTORNEY:

WTNESSES:

vend of the pipe.

JAMES C. PHELPS, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

TERMINAL FITTING FQB ELECT-RIC CONDUITS.

Specicatien of Letters Patent.

PatentedJune 1, 191.5.

appacqgionmea oetqex 231.1912, sain le. 727,319.

Hampden and StateI or invented new and useful which the following is a speciticatilonf' r[`his invention relates to improvements 1n terminal fittings for electric conduits wherein the wires as they emerge trom or enter the end of the conduit are separated a suitable distance from each other` sol as to prevent a possible -short circuit. A

Broadl the invention'rela'tes to the means employe for securing these fittings onto the end of the conduit or pipe. Itfis preferablel that the terminal fitting employed be composedof suitable insulating materlal and that it be firmly pressed downward onto the end of the holder member that is attached to the end of thefpipe.

An vobject of the inventionrelates to the means employed for securing the cap member to the end of thegholder member which is attached to the conduit.

The invention is not to beunderstood as being limited to interior construction iwork but the ittin Work as well.

Referring to the drawings formingla part of the specification, Figprel *is a side. elevation showing the partsassembledon theA end of a` conduit or pipe. Fig. 2 is a' vertical sectional view throughthe axis of the conduit on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, and clearly illustrating the means employed to attach the fitting to the end of the pipe, which fitting is composed of the cap-holding member that is directly secured to the pipe and the cap or terminal member of insulation that is secured to the holder member; also clearly illustrating the means employed to force the cap member downward against the cap-holding member that is attached to the Fig. 3 is an external view showing a slight modication in which the invention is applied to exterior construction work. Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of Fig. 3 and illustrating the curved shaped cap holding member that is directly secured to the end of the pipe and the cap member attached thereto and through which the Wires pass as they lead into the conduit from the external circuit. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3

I,"JAMss AC. PHELPS, a.

Massachusetts; h aye:A l Improvements' :in v Terminal Fittings for Electric Conduits, of,

g7 may` be l.applied to exterion showing the interior construction of the two members. Fig. 6 is adetailed plan view of the nut element formed with a threaded opening therethrough and by means of which the capholding member isrigidly secured to the1 of 4the pipe.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a: designates the conduitor pipe into which the electric Wireszaregdrawn, b a cap holding member t at is 'adapted to be rigidly secured to the en i of the pipe and which is formed as a singlelintegral casting in which a transverse opening c is ormed to receive the nut d by means of which the holding member b is secured to the end of the pipe a, as shown in Fig. 2., The end of theppe threaded, as indicated lat al, and is located within the axially arranged recess e of the member b, its innermost end portion o which is made inclined or tapered as shown at f. Against this tapered portion the end ofthe pipe a bears when the cap holding member b is assembled. In order to secure the member b to the end of the pipe a, it is only lnecessary to slip the nut d into the opening* c, and place then, by rotating the nut d, by. means of Aa suitable implement or tool, as a screw driver, it will be threaded onto the end o f thevpipe until it brings up against the shoulder, or

lower edge of the opening c whereby the holder member is rigidly clamped to the end of thenpipe and at the same time the inclined sunfacef will force against and engage the teethv or end of the pipe. The member b is formed with a passageway or opening g therethrough to receive the cables, and, also wi li a bearing surface z, on which the cap member t' rests when assembled. This cap member is formed Iwith one or more openings for the wires, indicated at The member b is also formed with a circular rib or shoulder k to receive a correspondingly shaped recess in the lower end of the cap, as shown in Fig. 2.

this member on lthe e'nd of the pipe,

m in an inclined manner it will readily be Seen that when they are forcibly rotated against the cap member the same will be moved downwardly against the bearing sur` face in and .firmly seated on and Within the rib or shoulder k. It is evident that the tighter the set screws are turned against the cap-member, the firmer will the same be secured to the cap-holder member b. It should be Stated that the set screws m are preferably located diametrically opposite each other, and, thereforeJ the pressure exerted by the Set screwsy acts against the curved surface of the cap member and prevents breaking the same, since the stresses are distributed similar to an arch in bridge construction.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is preferably designed for interior construction, and the construction shown in Figs. 3, 4 `and 5 is preferably designed for exterior construction work and in these'igures the pipe a is secured to the-curved capholding member r 1n the Same manner as already described -in connection with Figs.

land 2. This curved member, at its outer or lower end, is formed with a collar portion s within which is located the cap or terminal r amber t. The construction of this cap-member is identical with that shown in Figs. 1 and 2,' that is to say, the means employed to secure it in place with the set screws m are located in an inclined manner in the ribs m,1 shown in Fig. 3. The leading in wires, indicated at u4 and which pass upward through the openings t* in the .former or other that connect witha transoutdoor fittings. Theyv extend through the cap t, the curved portion r of the cap-holding member that is attached to the pipe, and downward into thepipe a to the interior of the building in the usual cap t, are those manner. This construction. is designed to s prevent rain and other foreign matter from gaining access to the interior of the pipe. From this construction 1t will be seen that the present invention is designed to rigidly secure a terminal fitting to the end of the conduit pipe in which there is a very small space between the pipe and the wall and that the nut d will permit the member b to be attached to the end of the pipe by means of any suitable implement or tool which engages the nut, whereby the same may be easily rotated. This construction also permits the cap member to be rigidly secured to the cap-holding member b that is attached. From Fig. 1 it will to theI end of the lpipe. be seen that the external diameters of the members b and i are equal md thus present a neat appearance as Weli as making the Work uniform throughout.

t I claim, is

A terminal fitting, comprising in combination, a cap holding member adapted to be secured to a conduit and formed with a shouldered recess, a cap member adapted to lie within, closely fit and bear upon said shouldered recess, said cap member Vbeing provided with oppositely disposed inclined recesses in the outer surface thereof, oppositely arranged arms extending upwardly from saidcap holding member and adjacent to said cap member, set screws angularly disposed in said arms relative to the axis of said cap, said screws adapted to engage with said inclined recesses in said'cap to force and holdthe same against said shouldered recess in said cap lholding member. 

